The present invention generally relates to the automatic latching of a disabled vehicle to a towing vehicle in the field, without the need for the operator of either vehicle to exit from his/her vehicle.
The invention has special advantage with vehicles in which it is desirable to stay within the vehicle during hook-up and connection of the disabled vehicle. For example, the present invention provides particular advantages when used to recover military vehicles such as armored Hummers known as mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRPA) armored vehicles, which have been used to advantage by military personnel in combat zones. When disabled, such vehicles are currently manually rigged, such as by chains connected to an eye-hook located on the front of the disabled vehicle, enabling pick-up by the cross-bar of the towing vehicle. This manual rigging is fraught with peril for the operator, who is located outside the armored vehicle and is vulnerable to sniper fire or other attack.
The present invention solves this problem by providing apparatus attachable to the armored vehicle and enabling its automatic latching to the towing vehicle, such that the operators of both vehicles may remain within the armored vehicle during hook-up and tow-away.
The problem of providing an auto-latching device is exacerbated by the fact that different manufacturers equip their armored vehicles with different latching mechanisms, such as different-sized and shaped eye-hooks. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an auto-latch mechanism, including one that is capable of connection to connection mechanism located on the disabled vehicle and having different sizes and shapes.